The imposition of the Emergency was a turning point in independent India's history. Democracy was directly challenged as fundamental liberties of citizens were suspended, press was gagged and political opponents hounded by the state machinery.

In this compelling volume, five experts bring together diverse perspectives-legal, political, historical, personal, social-to shed light on the cause and aftermath of this catastrophic decision. Prashant Bhushan vividly recreates the watershed case of Indira Gandhi vs Raj Narain that led to the Emergency; Gyan Prakash offers a comprehensive historical account of the growing popular unrest that disturbed Indira's regime; Coomi Kapoor details how she personally experienced the full fury of the establishment as her husband was arrested over a trifle; and Ajoy Bose and John Dayal, both staff reporters at the time, provide first-hand evidence of the destruction unleashed in the bylanes of Delhi.

In his illuminating introduction, Sanjaya Baru describes how the Emergency exposed the weak links in the constitutional armour-it now serves as a constant reminder to each generation to keep a constant vigil over its freedoms.